Hear Again Exmouth

Updated 12 January 2023

Hear Again Exmouth provides an ear microsuction service which operates from 21 Willoughby Close, Exmouth, Devon.

Hear Again Exmouth registered with the Care Quality Commission in March 2022 to provide care and treatment under the regulated activity of treatment of disease, disorder or injury. The service is provided to both adults and children from the registered location.

The service is provided on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays each week from 9.30am. Appointments can be made for Saturday mornings and evenings when demand is identified.

Information regarding the service can be found on the service website: www.hearagainexmouth.co.uk

How we inspected this service

We gathered and reviewed information prior to and during the inspection which was obtained from the provider. We spoke with the staff and reviewed patient feedback which had been obtained by the service.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?

These questions therefore formed the framework for the areas we looked at during the inspection.

Updated 12 January 2023

This service is rated as Good overall

This service is rated as Good overall and this is the first inspection since the service registered with the Care Quality Commission in July 2022.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? – Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Hear Again Exmouth as part of our inspection programme. Hear Again Exmouth provides an ear wax removal service using microsuction.

Hear Again Exmouth is registered with CQC to provide the regulated activity treatment of disease, disorder or injury and is located within Exmouth.

The provider of the service is a registered nurse who provides care and treatment to patients supported by a second registered nurse, who is self-employed. As a sole provider the service is not required to appoint a registered manager. For the purpose of this report we will refer to the provider and member of staff as the ‘staff’, unless we are specifically referring to the provider. We will then refer to the ‘provider’.

We reviewed feedback which had been provided to the service from patients. This demonstrated patients were satisfied with the care and treatment provided.

Our key findings were:

• The service had systems and processes to manage risk, keep patients safe, and safeguarded from abuse.
• Clinical records provided detailed information regarding the care and treatment which was provided to patients attending the service.
• Care and treatment was delivered following current evidence based practice guidelines.
• Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles.
• Staff were kind and respectful to patients and provided information to enable them to be involved in decisions about their care and treatment.
• The service was organised to meet patients’ needs and responded positively and took action following feedback from patients.
• The service had a clear vision and strategy to deliver high quality care.
• Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities. Systems and processes had been developed to support good governance and management.

Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA

Chief Inspector of Hospitals and Interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services